Bayswater council pledges to ‘go in to bat’ for Guildford Rd residents

BAYSWATER council are “going in to bat” for 359 residents and businesses set to be impacted by the WA Planning Commission’s (WAPC) proposed land grab along Guildford Road.

The WAPC proposed a Metropolitan Region Scheme amendment for Guildford Road from East Parade to Tonkin Highway, in order to add bus queue jumps, on-road cycle lanes, a median strip and minimum 4.1m verges with shared paths and street trees.

If passed, the road would be widened up to 10m, affecting 300 homes and 59 businesses in Maylands, Bayswater and Mt Lawley by cutting into verges, front yards and buildings.

Amid claps from the public gallery, Bayswater council this week unanimously rejected the amendment due to the “lack of justification and information and the substantial changes in transport planning since the 2011 Guildford Road Alignment Definition Study was undertaken”.

Guildford Road to Ruin group founder Graeme Reany said the widening would “decimate” the community, similar to the Great Eastern Highway development.

He said he was “amazingly thankful” to council for its decision.

“(However), based on recent experience, there is a high probability WAPC will simply reject the recommendation,” he said.

Mr Reany began the lobby group after he discovered the proposed works would encroach 6.3m on his footpath and verge, bringing the edge of the footpath to his window.

“This is a matter of concern to the community generally,” he said.

Mr Reany said he had collected 2440 signatures so far on his petition, with 203 forms still outstanding.

Mayor Barry McKenna said the proposal had caused a lot of angst and uncertainty in the community.

“We want to see this off the table, have some guarantee,” he said.

“We are going in to bat for you.”

Councillor McKenna said they would try to put pressure on the WAPC, which “needs a lot of reform”.

Cr Michelle Sutherland said she hoped the proposal “won’t see the light of the day”.

Labor candidate for Mt Lawley Simon Millman said Labor would tear up the proposal if elected.

“(This) resolution was terrific for the community,” he said.

About 23 of the properties that could be impacted are on the City’s Municipal Heritage Inventory.